Valerian - A gentle natural sedative

There is nothing worse than the frustration of not being able to get a good nights sleep! Insomnia is a condition that many of us experience from time to time and is normally the product of a complex set of circumstances, including stress and over indulgence in stimulants such as caffine.

There's no magic cure or silver bullet that will resolve an inability to sleep! Naturally you should always consult a qualified medical practitioner for any chronic health conditions. I know that if you haven't slept for a while you're probably cranky and in no mood to be preached at - however your sleeplessness is an indicator that you need to change something in your daily pattern. Increasing your exposure to fresh air really helps, so try to get some outdoor excercise in. In tandem with this try to reduce your stress levels and perhaps try taking some Valerian.


Valerian (valerina officinalis)is often used as a gentle and natural sedative. It's a perennial plant with a pinkish/white flowers and it grows from a tuberous root called a rhizome.

Valerian is readily commercially available in a number of forms; Tea, Tincture, Juice, Capsule and Tablet. At Organico we stock Dr Stuarts Valerian Tea, Bioforce Valerian Tincture, Quest and Lifeplan Valerain Tablets and Schonenberger Valerian Juice.

Dosage: 300-600mg in capsule form or 2-3g of dried herb soaked in a cup of hot water for for 10 minutes. Taken 30 minutes to 2 hours before bedtime.

It has a funny smell but don't let that put you off as the taste is not unpleasant.

Valerian is not known to be addictive, however it should only be used as a short term aid to re-establish sleeping patterns.

Organico Shop, Glengarriff Rd., Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)27 51391